AMSTERDAM – LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT
One of the most charming stops we made during our European tour was in Amsterdam. And what can we say, it was love at first sight. Dotted with pretty canals, quaint cafes and streets full of happy-go-lucky cyclists, we seemed to have found ourselves on the other side of the 80s. Well, that’s Amsterdam for you – the bad boy of Europe. Or better still, the boy your mom warned you about. After all, it is the land of the cannabis. Yes, it’s legal here. It’s a city that gives you the freedom of space and time. Space to wander about and time to take in the vibe. Tucked in the lap of the Netherlands, it easy to fall in love with this city. We surely did.
JUST CRUISING ALONG
If you want to live like the locals, you need to travel like them too. And there are two ways they do it. Cycles and canals. We opted for the latter and booked ourselves a lazy cruise in Stadhouderskade. While we did hope to sit on the deck and enjoy a few beers, the rain played spoilt-sport. But we didn’t let that dampen our spirits. We soaked in the rain as much as we soaked in scenic beauty this place had to offer. Flanked by delightful canal houses, this was a sight to remember. Yes, you can enjoy the same view from the comfort of your seat as well. Once we were done with the ride, we hopped over to the gift shop. It was a lovely little store full of souvenirs. We loved almost everything and it was hard to resist the urge to splurge. But we did manage to get home some lovely keepsakes.
ONE LONG COUNTRYSIDE
Amsterdam is a picturesque countryside hidden under the garb of a city just as lovely. If there ever was a place straight out of a novel, Amsterdam would be a close second (Paris being the first of course). It’s as if every page of this city had been handwritten with the serenity of a Sunday. To us, Amsterdam felt like one long weekend. With an idyllic charm, a relaxed pace of life and quintessential gabled facades, we were forced to slow down and smell the coffee, quite literally. Because that’s one of the things Amsterdam is famous for – its coffee culture. Tons of cafes serving fresh, hot coffee and freshly baked macaroons (not the bite-sized meringue goody but the hearty chunk made with coconut) is hard to resist. So we didn’t. Let’s just say that on a rainy Amsterdam morning, this was a satisfying beginning. To add to it, it was one of those mornings without an agenda. Our idea was to walk where the road took us. And it led us to one of the loveliest bookstores. Warm lights, yellow tones and ceiling to floor books and we had found our haven. It’s easy to chance upon such gems here. You’ll find tons strewed around in nooks and corners. All you need to do is slow down and look.
The best part about this city is that it doesn’t need an agenda. It needs time. You get there. You discover. And you fall in love, just like that. Although it was a short stopover, we tried to take in as much as we could. But not enough. Yes, it deserves another trip. And yes, it’s on the cards.